Fire-escape.



C. 0. RUSLAND.

IFIRE ESCAPE APPUCATIQN mm MAR.12. m5.

Pafentedun@ 20,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mss

ATTO RN EY WlT'NEssES CHRIST O. ROSLAND,' 0F MANITOWOC, WISCONSIN.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Application led March 12, 1915. Serial No. 13,383.

To r/ whom it may concern .lie it knownthat l. CHRIST O. ROSLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Manitowoc. in the county of Manitowoc and State of ll'isconsin, have invented a new and useful Fire-Escape, of 'which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to fire escapes and-its object is to provide a` fire escape structure whereby an occupant of a building may be quickly and safely lowered to the ground Aand the sustaining means for the escaped person will then return to the initial high position. v

In accordance with the present invention 'there is provided a suitable `casing which is not confined to any strict conformity with changes and modifications mark no material l may be madepractieally weatherproof, and provision is made for raisingthe casing to and securing it at any suitable point on the exterior of a building from which it is desired an escape be made. The casing incloses automaticallyY operating means including a receptacle one or more persons, which receptacle when subjected to the weight of a person desiring:

to escape will gravit-ate to the ground at a speed controlled by a suitable governor and further controlled at the will ofl an occupant of the receptacle. By the employment of mechanism always under tension the receptacle when relieved from the Weight of the occupant-returns to the high position, and is also capable of control from the ground. so that the receptacle may be stopped at intermediate points if such be desirable.

T he' invention will be best understood from a consideration of the' following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification,- standingl that while the drawings show a practical formof the invention, the latter the showing of the'drawings, but may be changed and modified vso long as such departure. `from the salient features of the invention. v

In the drawmgsz-Flgure 1 1s an elevay tion of the casing and parts carried thereby .with doors provided on the casing opened parts,iand some parts beling in section and others broken away-toexpose more tion on the to expose interior distant parts. Fig. 2 is a secvention.

large enough to hold with the further underlcasing and there has fast 'or other suitable means whereby the arbor a pinion 23 on an arbor -24 and thejlatter line 2-,2 of F ig.' 1, with lsome` Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 20, 1916 with some parts omit-ted and showing the v casing in cross-section.- Fig. 6 is a perspec tive view of controlling and llatch mechanism employed in conjunction with other parts. Fig. 7 is a diametric section of a governor structureV forming part of the 'in- F'g. Sis a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7. Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views of sustaining means for the casing.

Referring tothe drawings there is shown a casing 1, which may comprise a box-like structure usually of metal, andl this boxlikey structure-is providedy with a door 2 constituting one face portion of the casing, and a'bottom 3 secured to the casing by hinges 47 so as to drop' when lifted up constitutes a closure for the bottom ofthe casing'. To hold the bottom 3 in place, the door -2 has aiiange 5 at the bottom in position to underride the bottom member 3 when lifted. A hook 6 and catch 7 are shown as' indicative of any suitable means for holding the door 2 in the closed position. 4

IVithin the casing 1 near the Vupper end thereof there is secured aface plate 8'10- cated near what may be termed the back of the casing, that is, the portion of the casing remote from the V'door 2, and .carried by thev face plate 8 is another face plate 9 secured theretO and spaced 4therefrom by posts 10. y Mounted between the plates 8p. and 9 is a spring drum 11 containing a' spring 12 and mountedon a spring arbor 13,' which latter. carries a ratchet wheel 14, .while the drum 11 carries a suitable pawl 15.- Furthermore, the arbor 13 extends through may be turned tojwind the spring.

The springdrum 11 has a circular series of peripheral gearl teeth 17 meshing with av gear pimon 18 on an arbor 19. A gear wheel 20 is carried by the -jarbor 149.and meshes lwith another pinion 21` on an arbor The gear wheel 20 also meshes with The various arcarries a vratchet wheel 25.'

)ournaled 1n bors described are suitaby the faceplates '8 and 9.

to a pendent position,`but

v he'arbor 22 is, continued throughthelface plates andejxt@ the back ofthe to it a cranlcl 'teeth 44.

'in Fia: 6. v l 'which at the end remote from the arbor [is l rigr thereto carries a gear wheel 26 upon which vthere is mounted a drum 27having at the .end 'remote Jfrom the gear Wheel 26 a circumferential radial ange 28, and this `drumfis also provided on its periphery vvith a circular series ot'y sprocket teeth 29. The gear'ivheel 26 1s inemesh with a pinion 30 exterior vto'the"t:ne plate 9 and carried by an arbor 31, which in turn extends through the plate 9 and to the plate 8, andis journaled in both plates.

screw 33, which under some circumstances may be loosened. Fast on the sleeve 32 near one end of the latter is a collar. 34 from which project radially. and in opposite di- ,rections therefrom, pairs ot' ears 35. Each pair of ears carries a-lever 36 having a ball or Weight. 37' at one end. constituting the longer arm of the lever, and a friction member .38 at the other end of the lever and constituting the shorter arm thereof. In. the vpath 'of each arm er friction member 38 is frictionbloc-k 39 made 'tast to the inner wall of the tace plate 9 by rivets 40 or otherwise and this. block is centrallv traversed by the arbor 8l.

Securedto or formed on that end of the sleeve 32'remote from the collar 34- is a hub 414 carrying a disk' The hub 41 is .interiorly hollow `vand applied to the'arbor 3l Within thehollow hub 4l isxa ratchet provided with a circular series 'of one Wav Illhis ratchet 43 is secliued to the arbor by a set screw 45vaccessiblel through aV passage in the hub 4l, and the latter isalfso entered by radial slots 47 on diametrically1`oppositev sides, through which project' lree ends of lsprings 48 made fast n to the other end of the sleeve or to the so' that these springs engage the.

collar f4, teeth t4 and will. yield to aone-Way rotation of the ratchetv The disk 42 is surrounded by,a brake baud 49 having one end secured toa stud 50'fast l.to the plate8and the other end securedv as by a pin 51 'to one end of a le- 1ver 52 mounted on a pivotstud secured toA titte plate 8. v The lever 52 a's sh'eivn 1s a' Ylever of the first order and has a longer arm terminating in an angle. extension 54 in accessible position, and this extension The. arbor 31 has asleeve thereon heldto the' arbor by a set direction irrespective ot the pawl 61.

the same side of the pivot 58- as the angleeXtension 54. The arbor 57 which is a rock arbor` isalso provided With anangle'pin 60. Mounted on the arbor 57 to rock'theren on 1s a pawl 61 having a nose 62-in position to engage the teeth ot' the ratchet wheel 25. The pavvl 61 is providedwith a toe 63 in the path' ot the pin 60. The pavvl G1 is under the normal control of aspring 64 carriedl by the plate 9, so that under ordinary conditions the nose (52- of the pavvl Gl is in the pathjot the teeth of the ratchet 25, but these teeth being one Way teeth permit the rotation of the ratchet ivheel 25 in one Rotation of the ratchet ivheel kin the other direction is,- hoivever, stopped bv the nose 62.

othpaivl 61 unless the paivl is lifted out of the path of the. ratchet teeth, ivhich latmoved sullicientltv to cause the application of the brake band 49 to the brake disk 42. Journaled at a high point in the casing 1, the plates 8 vand 9 forming a convenient means for the purpose, is a Winding drum. (35 carrying a cord or rope 66.' This rope passes thrmgh the eye 55 and is of sufficient length to reach the ground when. unvvound from the drum 65. Near the end ot the rope 66 which is first applied to the drum 65 there is a knob or stop 67 so that vvhen the 'rope isvnearly or quite unvvound from the drum 65 the knob '67` `engages the extension 54 and so causes a rocking ofthe lever 52.against the action of, the spring 56. such rocking being sufficient to ,apply the 'brake band 49 to the disk 42.A y

' In order to facilitate'the lowering of the rope or cord 66 vvhen desired, iti-is provided at the end remote from th'e drum ivith a Weight 68. l

vitpplied to the drum 27 in engagement with the sprocket teeth 28 is a sprocket chain 69l connected at one end through a spring 7 0 to a bucket or receptacle 7l which is assumed .to be ofI sullicient size to receive and sustain a'human being and in some instances may be large enough to sustain several persons. The bucket or receptacle 7l'is..slioWn as providedfivith legholes 72, so that the occupant- Inay be conveniently seated 1n the bucket iviththe llegs through the holes 72,

whereby danger of falling from the bucket -ter condition exists when the lever 52 isl'reach to the ground also at the ground.

' a pin 80 risingtherefrom,

ing therefrom in position enters/the slot 84.

I drops by thereby exert a pull upon the Ylever 52 sut- -hcient-'to cause the application of the brake band ll) with a force either wholly stopping the progress of the bucket or 'permitting it to fall slowly.

is an additional lengt-h of chain T5 terminating in a clip 76 designed' to receive hose. so that the device may be ntilized for raising lire hose. as well as provid.- ing for the escape of endangered occnpants ofthe building. 1 .l At a suitable peintI upon Athe building there is provided a pulley over which there is passed a rope or strand i having one end connected to an eye 2'9 'on the upper 1, while the rope may be end of the casing of sufficient length to have the other end even when the casing is .rit appropriate peints on 'the face ofthe iniilding, say, at each licor, there is secured a catch member 79ajhaving and at otherbap propriate points inv spaced relation to the catch'member 79a is another catch member S1. At correspondingly spacedv points the casing 1 has an eye 82 anda stud 83 projectte be engaged by catch member 7 9a and lVhen the casing is lifted to an appropriate Iheight sothat the eye and 83 are above the respective catch rnernbe s, the -casing may then be. lowered,

85, which latter member 81, which 84, is .engaged by the stud The casing 1 may be assumed tohave been drawn up on the building'to the appropriate height at any time, or when needed. Olrd1- narily the bucket or receptacle 71 is in the raised position, and may then be housed within the 'casing 1 when the latter is of suficient size. The assume and .remain in the elevated position because of the spring` 12 which is of proper size and powerfor the purpose. v

' In case of a lire, the endangered occupant of the buildingopens the doorl by mani-pulating the latch 6, whereupon the bottom 3 gravity to the open Vposition and the receptacle or bucket 71 may likewise drop and at any rateis then in position to be readily reached by the endangered person. On stepping into the bucket the weight of the occupant will at once tend to-lower the bucket, since suchfweight is in excess of the lifting power of the spring 12.

4The bucket 71 is ordinarily locked against lowering by the engagement of the pawl' 61 withthe ratchet wheel 25, so that the occupant must grasp the rope 66, thusjmoving the lever 52 in a manner to carry the nose 62 out of the pathl of the teeth of the ratchet 25, but this movement need' not be sufficient 'to Attached to the chain 6l) l near the spring T0 $31, respectively.

so 'that theeye 82 v1s traversed by the pin 80 and catch bucket 'is constrained to,

apply the brake :band 19. Now thcbucket continues to fall under the weight ofl the occupant, but the fall is modified by the action of the lgovernor, and this action may be further' controlled bygrasping the grip member 7l and thereby applying a force to the rope or cord 6G, .which will hold the brake vband 45) in the desired frictional engagement with the brake wheel or disk 42.

it the brake band lie-applied with sufl'icient force the falling progress of the bucket 71 may be entirely stopped.

When the occupant of the bucket reaches the ground the rope (SG may be released, whereupon the brake is disengaged, although the pawl 61 is rcapplied. Now, however, the reaction4 of the spring 12, exerting a force sutticicnt to lift the bucket, causes a rising the bucket by reversing the Vdirection of movement-ofthe drum 27. This inoven'ient is notinterfered with by the ratchet' wheel since the teeth of the ratchetwhecl are so related to the nose2` of the pawl'tl as tomove freely thereunder. However, the governor will still control the movement sufficiently' to prevent the bucket from rising` too rapid-ly.

The governor may be thrown out of commissioirespecially as to rising movements of' the bucket by loosening lor removing the 'screw 33.' whereupon the zrbor 81 will Arotate,without carrying the sleeve 32 with it. lloweveig this free. rotation is in but one direction, since the springs 48 engage the ratchet teeth Llland so the governor ismoved in' the correspondnigdirection.` However, when thev arbor 21 is rotated in the other direct-ion the springs 48 merely ridel such purpose.- it is capable of use for manyv purposes, such as the lifting or lowering of goods and the like, and consequently the.

device 1n so far as applicable to vvarious uses is not confined strictly lto use as a fire The structure is capable of manufacture in suiiciently small size' to be ordinarily stored in a room from which, of a lire, escape may bemade. fire escape device can then be readily lifted to -theexterio'r of'the building and placed upon thc supports`79a and 81. or other suitable' supports, whereupon.. the doors may then, be opened and the apparatus isfready in the event The stored for use in the manner already describedzr it into a one-Way governor, and readilyl controllable means forlocking the receptaole against' movements in opposition to the elevating tendency of the suspending ll'lQ-DS.

2. A fire escape or'the like, comprising a receptacle, suspending means for the receptacle having a 'constant ten encyl to elevate the latter, a governor for controlling movements of the suspending means duringeither the rise or fall of the receptacle, a brake drum constantly connected to the governorv and having means for connecting both the brake drum and the governor to vor loosening them from the suspending means,.manually operable means Afor controlling the brake drum, and means for connecting the governor to the .parts controlled thereby for one-Way actuation of the governor.

3. A tire' escape or the' like, comprising a receptacle, suspending means for' thel receptacle having a constant tendency to elevate the latter, a centrifugal governor and a brake drum having common connections for controlling the ysuspending incans, positive means for locking the receptacle against movements in opposition to. thev elevating tendency of thesuspending means, means for converting the governor into a one-Way governor for-controlling the lowering movements onlyI ofv the receptacle, controlling means for the brake drum, and manually operable means common to the locking vmeans and' thecontrollingl means for the brake drum. l

4. A fire' escape or thelike comprising a receptacle, a spring drum and train of gearing connected thereto, a sprocket connected to and driven by the gearing, an eectively endless chain carried by the sprocket and in turn carrying the receptacle, a governor controlling the movements of the receptacle in either direction, stop means for 'holding the receptacle against movements in opposition to the spring, a brake for controlling orstopping the movements of the receptaelein either direction, and operating means for the stopmeans and for the brake -for controlling either in alternation with the other. y

5.*A .re escape or the like comprising a receptacle, a spring drum` and train of gearing connected thereto, a sprocket connected to and driven b v the gearing, an effectively endless chain carriedA bv the sprocket'and carrying the receptacle, a govvcontrolling the pawl, 'a brake 'ernor connected to and driven by the gearing (for controlling movements of the receptacle iny either directionfa' ratchet Wheel connected to and 4driven by the gear train, a paivl for the ratchet wheel .and related -thereto to arrest movement of the lgear train in opposition to theactionof the spring, a brake' for controlling or4 stopping movementsv of the receptacleJ in either direction, and operating means for the brake and for the pawl for moving one at a time in alternation with the other.

6. A fire escape or the like-comprising a train of gearing and a' spring connected thereto for actuating the gearing,'a sprocket connected to. the train of gearing for actua- 4tion thereby, aneil'ectively endless-sprocket 'thereto for actuating'the gearing, a sprocket connected to the train of gearing for actuation thereby, an effectively endless sprocket chain carried and controlled by the sprocket, arec'eptacle carried by the chain, a governor connected to the gearing, a brake member also connected to the gearing, a ratchet Wheel connected to the gearing, a pavvl for controlling-the ratchet Wheel, a sprin l-actuate'd lever including means' for .controlling the pavvl, a brake band carried by the spring-actuated lever in operative relation to the brake member, and `means for operating'the lever and through the latter operating the brake Aand `pavvl in' oppositiom said lever operating means comprisingv a flexible rope or. cord and a windingdrutn therefor.

8. -A fire escape or the'lik'e comprising a train of gearing anda spring connected thereto for actuating the gearing, a sprocket connected to the train of gearing for actuation thereby. an effectively endless sprocket chaincarried and controlled bythe sprocket.' a receptacle carried by the chain, a governor connected tothe gearing, a brake member also connected to the gearing, a ratchet Wheel connected to the gearing, a ,pavvl for controlling the ratchet Wheel, a spring-actuated lever including means for controlling the pavvl. a brake band carried by the spring-'actuated lever in operative relation. to the brake member, and means for operating the lever and through the latter operatlng elle 'bleke :mil pawl in oppositiony Seial level" epeatng means compxseg e flexible rope oi" corel and e wiillng wel elim-efe?? enel lle reoepieee being pffmfled wim e gli@ member eliz'ough which he eorfl is passed.

9. A lire escape er the like comprising a receptacle, power Storing eens7 elevating,

'ineens fm? the receptacle unile? elle Qontrol of the poeef scoring means' eorlreeponsve to e sujoeoxv weight placed in the receptacle o4 p'em't the lete te falend e brake means for, the eceptecle and power storing means comprising e make disk and brake band, e shaft' controlled ley toe ecep'tecle, e ratchet on and provided Wrsh means for seemingthe ratchet to and loosening 1t from the shaft, and elastic members com` neete to alxe'bmke lsl in position to er;- gege he :ratchet for mdmg -eely oven the latehet in one direct-ion of rotation of the shaft when the ratchet is secured to said shaft. I

l0. A ze escape or the lllel compmemg e receptacle, power storing means, elevelng means for the receptacle meier lie control,

'of power storing means and responsive to a superior Weight place in the 'receptacle `to permit the latter to fall, and a bsfake means for the receptacle and power storeg nr-.eans comprising a. brake disk aedoreke beneL e shaft oontfolled by elle receptacle, e reehes on 1he Shaft, amil elastic-members connected izo elle brake disk in. positeze to engage *alle ing'lo: the elevation ofvihe receptacle byf the power of the spring, and e bleke emigovernor structure connected -to the gezuring the governor comprising a centrifugal fo" emol for regolazng the epeefl of nhe'move men of one x'eeepmele and the brele eompreing e breite disk with e brake bend operative relation thereto, e, eheft trav elsing the brake disk :lool conneeed to the gearing, Sleeve on ehe Shaft keying one .member of the governor' fest hereto for rotatonby the sleeve, e mtcloe eezx'le; by the sleeve, and yleldalble mez/noem earned 'by the sleeve in voperative relation vto the reellet and in tum connected to the brake dsk, seul sleeve-having .means for seeming 'ie to or leleesiug it from the she.

'ln testimony that claim-the 'oegoeg my own, l have hereto afxed my Signature m the presence of two Wltuesses.

GHRlS'' 0. ROSLND.

Witnesses z SAMUEL NELsoN E, Beam?, 

